The corridor twisted and turned as Ye Tian followed Shen deeper into the Sect of Forgotten Shadows. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and ancient power, and the faint sound of whispers seemed to echo off the walls, though no one spoke.
The blackened furnace in Ye Tian's bag felt heavier with each step, as if reacting to its surroundings. It pulsed faintly, sending a strange warmth through his body, one that was neither comforting nor painful. It was an undeniable reminder of the artifact's mysterious nature—and its curse.
Shen glanced back at him, his expression unreadable. "You're quiet, Ye Tian. Perhaps the furnace is speaking to you already?"
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Shen's lips curled into a smirk. "Every bearer hears it differently. Some find it seductive, others maddening. It tests your mind as much as your strength. But don't worry… the worst is yet to come."
The Shadowed Hall
They entered a vast, circular hall illuminated by eerie blue flames that floated in midair. The walls were covered in more of the shifting symbols Ye Tian had seen earlier, and their glow seemed to intensify as he stepped inside.
A group of disciples waited in the center, each clad in the same gray robes and masks as before. They turned their heads toward Ye Tian, their movements unnervingly synchronized.
"The second trial," Shen announced, his voice echoing through the hall. "The altar has judged you worthy of entering the sect, but that was merely the threshold. Now, you must prove you can harness the artifact without being consumed by it."
One of the masked disciples stepped forward, holding a small, intricate jade vial. Inside swirled a liquid that shimmered like molten silver.
"You must ingest this," the disciple said, their voice flat and mechanical.
Ye Tian's eyes flicked toward the vial, his instincts immediately on edge. "What is it?"
"A binding agent," Shen explained. "It will link you to the furnace, allowing you to tap into its true power. But it comes with risks. If your will is not strong enough, it will destroy you from within."
Ye Tian remained silent for a moment, weighing his options. He had already committed to this path, and retreating now was not an option. Without a word, he took the vial, uncorked it, and downed the liquid in one smooth motion.
The Furnace Awakens
The effect was immediate. A searing heat spread through Ye Tian's veins, as though his blood had turned to fire. His vision blurred, and the hall around him seemed to dissolve into darkness.
When his sight returned, he was no longer in the hall but in a vast, empty void. The ground beneath him was black and cracked, glowing faintly with molten fissures. Above him, a swirling vortex of red and black energy loomed, crackling with power.
From the vortex, a figure began to emerge. It was humanoid but grotesque.
Ye Tian stood face-to-face with the humanoid spirit. Unlike the towering beings he had encountered before, this spirit was of similar height to him—no monstrous giant, just an imposing figure radiating raw, untamed power. The furnace embedded within its chest glowed ominously, casting flickering light over the scene.
It moved with the precision of a seasoned martial artist, every motion calculated and fluid. No Qi, no spells—just sheer physical force and the artistry of combat.
"You think you can defeat me with your tricks?" the spirit sneered, its voice cold and confident. "Let's see how you fare in hand-to-hand combat."
Ye Tian's fingers flexed as he prepared. His mind sharpened, analyzing the spirit's stance, the subtle shift in its weight, the way it held its hands, ready to strike. He could feel the oppressive presence of the furnace, its heat radiating like a furnace within the humanoid's chest.
The first move came swiftly. The spirit's fist shot forward like a blur, aiming for Ye Tian's face. Ye Tian's eyes gleamed as he executed Shadowstep, vanishing just in time. He reappeared behind the spirit, intending to strike. But the spirit was fast—its elbow shot backward, a perfect counter to his approach. Ye Tian barely managed to raise his arm in time to block the hit, but the force behind the blow sent him stumbling back.
He steadied himself and faced the spirit once more. The humanoid's footwork was impeccable, its movements fluid, and every strike delivered with precision, as though each punch and kick was a perfect extension of its body. Ye Tian had encountered skilled martial artists before, but this spirit seemed to anticipate his every move.
The spirit was relentless. A barrage of punches came next, one after another. Ye Tian ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding the heavy blows, his mind racing to find an opening. The spirit was too fast, its attacks unrelenting. It feigned a low kick and immediately followed with a devastating uppercut, forcing Ye Tian to shift his weight backward to avoid the blow. But even that movement was not enough. The spirit's other fist connected with his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crashing into the stone floor.
Ye Tian groaned, feeling the impact reverberate through his body. He pushed himself to his feet quickly, shaking off the daze. This opponent was not like the others—there were no spells, no external forces to contend with. This was pure martial prowess, and the humanoid's endurance never wavered.
In a flash, the spirit surged forward again, its fist a blur aimed directly at Ye Tian's face. Ye Tian's instincts kicked in, and he raised his arm to block. The collision rang out like thunder, the force pushing him back several steps. Blood dripped from his lips, but his gaze hardened. He was beginning to understand his opponent's pattern.
"Impressive," the spirit mused, its stance unyielding. "But you cannot match my endurance."
Ye Tian's mind raced. Endurance. The spirit had the stamina to outlast him, and every strike was calculated to wear him down. He needed to end this quickly before his own strength gave out.
In a sudden move, Ye Tian gathered his Qi and attempted to use Earth's Push, targeting the spirit's abdomen. His palm shot forward, the gravitational force rippling from his hand, intending to knock the humanoid off balance. But the spirit reacted with incredible speed, twisting its body to the side and dodging the force entirely.
"You cannot catch me with that," the spirit said, a mocking tone in its voice. "You rely too much on your tricks."
Ye Tian's expression darkened. He had underestimated this spirit. It had adapted to his gravity manipulation technique far too quickly. Every time he attempted to use Earth's Push, the humanoid dodged, its movements too fluid, too precise.
With a deep breath, Ye Tian decided to try something different. He gathered his Qi once again, this time activating Heaven's Pull. He extended his hand, the pull of gravity focused at the spirit's center of mass. The humanoid's body jerked slightly as it attempted to evade, but the gravitational force caught it off guard. It was too quick, too fluid—but not quick enough to escape the pull entirely.
The spirit's body shuddered as it struggled against the force, and for the first time, Ye Tian saw a flicker of uncertainty in its stance. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Tian pushed forward, gathering every last ounce of his strength.
With a powerful, precise motion, he activated Earth's Push, focusing it on the spirit's face. The concentrated force shot upward, lifting the humanoid off the ground in an explosive burst. The spirit's face was pushed upward at an impossible angle, its body remaining rooted to the floor, unable to evade the sheer power of Ye Tian's gravity.
The humanoid's head snapped back with the force of the uppercut, and Ye Tian felt the strain of the technique. The spirit's body stayed in place, but its face was sent soaring, separated from the rest of its body. The gravitational force that Ye Tian exerted created a sharp, clear division, and the spirit's body stood motionless while its face—disconnected—was sent flying, its expression frozen in shock.
The furnace within the spirit's chest pulsed violently, flickering in the void where the spirit's face had once been. A moment of stillness followed. The ground trembled beneath Ye Tian's feet as the humanoid's body slumped, its arms falling to its sides, lifeless. The furnace let out a low, almost mournful hum before it dimmed to a soft glow.
Ye Tian stood, panting heavily, his body aching from the brutal combat. He had won, but the victory felt hollow. The furnace now hovered before him, its power still mysterious, yet the battle had revealed more than he had expected about his own abilities.
The spirit's form began to dissipate, its presence fading into the ether. The furnace, now no longer tethered to the humanoid's body, began to yield, its power shifting toward Ye Tian. The battle was over. The furnace had been claimed.
Ye Tian's chest heaved with labored breaths as he stood over the defeated spirit's body. The furnace, now devoid of its former guardian, hovered gently before him, its once-violent pulse now subdued. The trial had been a grueling test of endurance and skill, but Ye Tian had proven himself capable, overcoming the seemingly invincible humanoid with his strategic use of gravity manipulation and martial prowess.
The Final Test
As the chamber fell into an eerie stillness, Shen's voice cut through the silence, smooth and calculated.
"Well done, Ye Tian. You've passed the spirit's trial."
Ye Tian wiped the sweat from his brow, his muscles aching from the brutal confrontation. But his eyes remained focused, wary. "What's next?"
Shen stepped forward, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "The final test."
Ye Tian's gaze sharpened, his posture instinctively shifting into a defensive stance. Shen's presence, which had always been imposing, now carried an additional weight—one that made Ye Tian pause.
"You've fought the spirit," Shen continued, his voice carrying a note of amusement. "But you haven't yet faced the true test of your strength." He looked Ye Tian up and down, assessing him. "You've displayed cleverness, skill, and endurance, but none of that matters if you cannot stand against a true master."
Ye Tian narrowed his eyes. Shen's words carried an unspoken challenge. His hand instinctively hovered near the hilt of his weapon, ready for whatever Shen might throw at him.
"Fight me, Ye Tian," Shen said, his tone now serious, laced with the authority of someone who had seen countless warriors rise and fall before him. "Show me what you're truly capable of."
Ye Tian's heart skipped a beat. A fight with Shen was not something he had anticipated. Shen was no mere martial artist—he was a master, and his strength far exceeded the humanoid spirit's. Ye Tian could feel the weight of the challenge hanging in the air.
"Very well," Ye Tian said, his voice steady, though a flicker of doubt passed through his mind. He knew this would be no ordinary battle. The man before him had the power to obliterate him in an instant, should he choose.
Shen's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he took a step forward. In the blink of an eye, he was upon Ye Tian, a blur of motion that left no time for hesitation. The force of his first strike was enough to shake the very ground beneath them.
Ye Tian reacted instinctively, raising his arms to block the incoming blow. The collision sent a shockwave through his body, and he staggered back, barely managing to stay on his feet. Shen's strength was overwhelming, each of his punches like the weight of an entire mountain crashing down.
Ye Tian could feel his body protesting under the strain. His limbs felt heavier with every passing moment. Shen wasn't just fast—he was precise, every movement fluid, each strike aimed to break his defenses. Ye Tian's Qi, already taxed from the earlier trial, seemed to drain even faster as Shen pressed on.
"You think you can match me?" Shen's voice echoed in his ears, cold and unwavering. "You rely on your tricks, your power. But power alone won't save you from me."
Ye Tian gritted his teeth, refusing to give in. He used Heaven's Pull to try to momentarily shift Shen's balance, but Shen was already one step ahead. With a swift pivot, he evaded the gravitational force and closed the gap in an instant.
The next strike came like a lightning bolt, a devastating blow to Ye Tian's side. He felt ribs crack under the pressure, and for a moment, he thought he might lose consciousness. The pain was excruciating, but he held on, pushing through the fog of injury.
The next few moments were a blur of strikes and blocks. Ye Tian couldn't keep up with Shen's pace. The man was relentless, his power an unstoppable tide that wore Ye Tian down, one crushing blow after another.
"You're already tiring," Shen remarked with a hint of satisfaction. "I could end this now, but I want to see how long you'll last."
Ye Tian's vision blurred, his breath ragged as he stumbled to regain his footing. His body felt like it was being torn apart, his Qi strained beyond its limit. But despite everything, he refused to fall. He wasn't just fighting for survival—he was fighting to prove himself, to show Shen that he was not just another weakling to be discarded.
Shen's next strike came like a hammer, but this time, Ye Tian was ready. He summoned all the energy he could muster, channeling his Qi into a final burst of strength. With a forceful movement, he used Earth's Push, but Shen effortlessly dodged it once again, his body a blur of motion.
"You are strong, Ye Tian," Shen said, his voice filled with admiration. "But you are not ready to defeat me yet."
With that, Shen's body surged forward, his burst of speed overwhelming Ye Tian's defenses. The final blow came swiftly—a fist to the chest that sent Ye Tian crashing into the stone wall, the impact leaving him crumpled and gasping for breath.
As Ye Tian struggled to rise, Shen stood over him, his gaze unwavering.
"You've shown great promise," Shen said, his tone softened with an almost begrudging respect. "But you've yet to master the endurance required to stand against true power."
Ye Tian, barely able to keep his eyes open, forced himself to sit up. His body screamed in pain, but his spirit remained unbroken. He had fought with everything he had, and though he had failed to defeat Shen, the trial had not been a complete loss.
Shen offered him a hand, helping him to his feet. "This battle was not to break you, Ye Tian. It was to show you where you still need to grow. And grow you will. You have potential—more than even you realize."
Ye Tian nodded, his breathing slow but steady. He had lost, yes, but he had also learned. Shen's burst of power had shown him the vast difference between their strength, but it had also sparked something within him—an understanding that he had much more to learn, much more to achieve.
And this battle, no matter the outcome, was just another step on the path to greater power.